excues me? version 2!
by Rboooks
Summary: After a jutsu accident Naruto is blasted into the past where many believe him to be Minato's father. Unable to return to his own time and not able to bare seeing the loneliness in his new 'son's' eyes Naruto stays to fix the future. How much trouble can one wayward Shinobi cause? Ask Tsunade. NarutoXTsunade. Time travle. MinatoXKushina. Adopted from Melaniexuzumaki :)
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**

Naruto ends up in the past in which everyone believes him to be Minato's father. With no way back he plans on staying and fixing the future before it needs fixing. With the help of Tsunade and a little romance Naruto comes to realise he just may be way in over his head on the whole father thing. NarutoXTsunade. Time travel. MinatoXKushina. Adopted from Melaniexuzumaki :)

**Chapter 1**

**Hey guys so I adopted this story which I feel in love with when I read it and I decide to finish it! Hope you like****J**

**SO THIS STORY WAS MELANIEXUZUMAKI'S AND SHE/HE DESERVES THE CREDIT.**

"talking"

'thinking'

**"Kurama talking"**

_'others thinking'_

Summary

After a jutsu accident Naruto is blasted into the past where many believe him to be Minato's father. Unable to return to his own time and not able to bare seeing the loneliness in his new 'son's' eyes Naruto stays to fix the future. How much trouble can one wayward Shinobi cause? Ask Tsunade.

Chapter 1

The first thing he notice when he woke was that he was in the hospital. Those damn white walls were a dead giveaway, the impersonal atmosphere where everything just looked so generic, so _convenient_. (What other possible reason did they cover normal chairs with plastic for?) Pain was the first thing he felt and it was momentarily all he could really focus on. He'd never felt this horrible in his life. Every cell felt as if it was burning in white hot flames and the worst part was he had no idea how it had happened.

What was the last thing he'd been doing?

He could hear the bleeps of the machines that were desperately trying to save his life. Probably a waste since Kurama would heal his injuries soon enough, a few minutes rather than the week it took these things. Yet here he was. In a hospital bed praying for death since it sounded more merciful than the agony he felt.

Only one thought ran through his head. A foreign idea that he hadn't really taken the opportunity to consider before. Not even when he was facing the most dire of circumstances.

'I, Uzumaki Naruto am dying.'

He was certain of this fact and he wasn't sure how. It merely was.

The last thing he heard were medics rushing in as the machines gave a final bleep and a familiar voice in his head screamed.

**"Don't you dare die! You hear me!? I'm trying as hard as I can to save you but I need you to sleep! SLEEP! You being awake makes it harder for me because I worry about the pain I'll be causing you in healing you."**

And even though he knew it was forced he was never gladder for the darkness that welcome him, embraced him as the pain faded from his conscious mind.

-Four days later-

**"Kit. Wake up…please…kit I …I need you to wake up."**a voice said with the barest hint of despair, almost as if it didn't expect this "kit" to breathe much less open its eyes.

It was the tone that really got to Naruto. He always did want to get rid of that tone, no matter who it came from. It was a tone that was only used when you knew your loved one was dying and knew that there was nothing to be done. He hated it.

The problem was Naruto always believed there was something that could be done as long as he lived. There was no such thing as giving up, only trying harder because obviously if he failed he wasn't trying hard enough.

Using his pure stubbornness Naruto forced the heavy fog away from his mind and forced his body to react. To move. To _live._

**"KIT!"**Kurama yelled joyously. **"You're awake! Thank Kami! It's been days!"**

Naruto blinked as the white of the walls assaulted his pupils. There were too harsh for his eyes after days of being in darkness and planned to lay a complaint against hospitals in general for that disservice. He'd definitely suggest orange as a better colour. Hospitals rooms really sucked.

Fumbling around clumsily, he began to pull the needles and wires from the various places they'd been stuck into in his body. How annoying. Why were they putting them there in the first place? Didn't they know that Kurama would take care of it anyway?

"Aghh…damn that hurts…" Naruto's voice was hoarse as he tried to move only to have loud alarms go off, causing his ears to ring painfully. First his eyes and now his ears. Were they trying to kill him? They should have just left him then.

"What the f-" he began but was cut off by Kurama

**"Kit I know you're confused. I know you want answers and you'll get them but we don't have time. We are about to be confronted with what should be nothing more than the ghosts or your past. Note that I used '****_should be'_****."**

Naruto could hear footsteps speeding towards his door and cocked his head in interest. Footsteps from ninja? They wanted him to know he was coming.

**"Listen, don't over react. It's not a genjutsu. I don't know how we made it but we travelled back in time. You were found in the forest. By the feel of the chakra around here it's possibly war time but I can't tell which one. You've been in a coma for two weeks, having woken up briefly four days ago. We're in the Konoha. Now this is the most important part: ACT LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW THEM!"**

Kurama rushed to say this as time was not exactly on their side.

Naruto's mind was shocked into complete silence as the information tried to make sense in his mind. Time travel? Before he could question the demon the door bust open. They really hadn't had a lot of time had they?

Medic Nin rushed in and stood shocked as they saw him staring back at them looking slightly puzzled …perfectly healed with not even a scar. But the man had had bigger wounds then most of their staff's arm length just hours ago, two weeks having done little to diminish the danger to his life!

Their eyes moved in wide eyed shock to see that the man had pulled out all the wires that had been keeping him alive since he'd been bought in as though they were nothing but a nuisance to him. Just who was this stranger?

Naruto was glad for the long pause as the medics gave him a once over searching for wounds that were long gone thanks to his furry house tenant, Kurama.

Judging by the shocked and slightly awed faces it meant that these people don't know who he was or more importantly who he looked like. Just how far back was he?

It could mean that his father hadn't earned a name yet or his father wasn't born yet. He prayed it was the latter. If this was the 3rd Shinobi war then he was going to have his mind completely destroyed for looking like the Yellow Flash. Something he did not look forward to. Could they even destroy his mind with Kurama there? He didn't feel like finding out.

"What do you think you're doing?! Lie back down now! You're lucky to even be alive!" Screamed one of the medics as they snapped out of the trance they all seemed to have fallen in and moved to force him back down. What was it with medic-nins that never realised he was perfectly alright. During the Fourth Shinobi War he'd had to tell the other nations' medics time and time again until a Konoha medic took pity on him and came to save him.

Naruto ignored her since his gaze was locked on a man behind the groups of medics. A man that looked younger than what Naruto had ever seen him. A man that he had seen as a grandfather, growing to love him as one of his very first precious people.

A man that was also supposed to be dead.

The Third Hokage stared back at him with an old mix of kindness and suspense as he neared Naruto's bed flocked by ANBU guard. The Hokage stood in front of him now and with a wave of a hand the medics moved back.

Naruto only just noticed they had placed many of the wires back where they were supposed to be and grimaced pulling them out once more. He supposed when it came to ninja, they just didn't like taking chances and moved pretty darn quickly.

The others of the room watched as the Naruto's skin healed where the needles had been in seconds.

'_Interesting' _Thought the Hokage before clearing his throat. It was interesting in many ways, and not all of them pleasant.

"Hello. I am the Third Hokage, Sarutobi"

The boy stared at him for a moment and Sarutobi didn't prompt him. He might look fine but Sarutobi was told that due to the boy's coma he may have a hard time talking for a few moments after he woke so Sarutobi waited.

"Y-Yo" Naruto finally answered over the lump in his throat. Not from lack of use but from emotion.

"Would you care to tell me why a stranger, in war time no less, was found within my borders and very near death?" Sarutobi asked and a friendly smile was given.

However Naruto knew better, from experience he could see the suspicion in the not so old man's eyes sharp and on the lookout for lies. The only way not to be sent to a cell or to have his mind destroyed was to tell half-truths. Not lie exactly, just not the whole truth either, no description.

"I..I" for good measure he coughed and cleared his throat. "I'm unsure really. I was traveling due to my village being destroyed; I've been a traveller for a long time. Then I was ambushed, trying to fight back I got injured though I managed to escape and after that it's a blur."

Sarutobi stayed quiet and after some time nodded his head. "I understand that you got attacked and that you tried to fight back…does that mean you are a ninja?"

"Yes." Naruto answered with a small smile.

"Where did you learn to fight?" Sarutobi asked

"Self-taught mostly but I did meet some ninja who were willing to teach me a few things...after I proved to them that I was worth it of course."

No lie, Naruto did learn more with his clones and all his sensei were willing to teach after he proved himself.

Again Sarutobi said nothing but after a moment he asked "Where were you born?"

"I am unsure. I was born in a small house close to a village, and then abandoned there when my parents went missing. They are believed dead." Naruto answered once more, twisting the events of his birth to suit his current purposes.

The room was tense and all the ANBU stood ready to fight if Naruto tried anything. However that all changed when Sarutobi smiled for real, eyes lighting up with a warmth of a beloved village leader rather than the cold assessment of a judge of someone about to be executed.

"You're not lying. So our next step I suppose is to say, welcome to the Village Hidden in the Leaves…" He waited for Naruto to introduce himself.

**"Don't use your mother's last name. Remember the Uzumaki's may still live and a quick check could blow your cover so use your father's"**Kurama said before the boy opened his mouth.

"Forgive me I haven't introduced myself I am Namikaze Naruto" He said with a small bow of his head

"Namikaze….are you aware that there is law of safety, in which we may take some DNA to search for a relative here in the village?" the Hokage asked.

Naruto nodded though he had a gut feeling that he was not going to like what the Hokage was going to say.

"You said you travelled, have you been to the Leaf village before? And if you have when was the last time you've been here?" Sarutobi asked as he snapped his fingers to Owl.

Owl moved forward quickly, handing him a folder before moving back into formation.

Naruto thought about it. Now that he was up he could remember bits and pieces of his fight with Obito. They had gone straight at each other with the tailed beasts' chakra flying everywhere and in an act desperation he had tried a new jutsu and the resulting blast had sent him flying. That's when he blanked out.

Though it didn't matter since the Leaf was no more. In his time anyway.

"Six years. I haven't been here since I was sixteen." He answered.

When the war broke out he left for the front lines at sixteen which meant he wasn't there when the Leaf fell. Now being twenty-two he hadn't stepped foot in the ruins since it caused nothing but painful dreams and memories. He avoided Konoha and all things associated with it. Figured he'd end up back in the place, only not quite the way he'd wished for it to be. It may be Konoha but it wasn't his home. He didn't know these people and they didn't know him.

Sarutobi nodded before looking Naruto straight in the eye

"Are you a virgin?" he asked not an ounce of embarrassment in his tone or on his features. He didn't think the boy was, considering his age and his looks but he couldn't help but ask.

Naruto on the other hand almost fell off the bed from that question.

"W-why do you-? Oh never mind, I don't at to know. No I'm not a virgin." He said hurriedly, his face burning and he knew it.

Nodding like he was expecting that Sarutobi handed Naruto the folder. Before letting go he met his gaze again "Then I'd like to let you know that you are a father. His name is Namikaze Minato and he's six years old. His mother died in child birth, thus making him your responsibly. Would you like to stay in the village or would you prefer to take him traveling with you?" the Hokage elaborated, his tone becoming orderly and a tad too business-like for Naruto's liking consider the man was talking about a six year old child.

Naruto stared at him with wide eyes before ripping open the folder only to find the DNA test staring right back saying, in much better detail and in more complicated terms, what the Hokage just said. Naruto's eyes skimmed over the details and saw that while the term father and son was never used, there were things like 99.9% match for close relation. They hadn't tested for what kind of relation, merely if there was one and in that case they had assumed that Minato was his son and not the other way around. If they had tested for what kind of relation, they'd have had a bigger problem on their hands because then they'd be trying to figure out how it was all possible.

Still, according to them and probably the records as well now, he was a father. He was Minato's father. A father . . . A FRICKEN FATHER! To them he was the man who'd left a pregnant woman in their village, and in so doing, abandoned his unborn son. This was Konoha! The village that believed strongly in the Will of Fire. Oh man!

The ANBU and Medics watched as the young man started to show signs of panic. They watched in amusement as the man began talking to himself flipping through papers

"Father...Father!? Oh god! Minato…six years… oh man…I'm a father! No that can't be true! Oh man I messed up! I messed up bad! What kind of father leaves his kid behind!? It like going to the park with your kid and coming home with someone's else!" Naruto blabbered as he tried to figure out what to do.

Finally after reading the test results a dozen times he glanced up to the laughing Medics and the amused ANBU and Hokage.

"So what will it be, village or travel? The adoption papers are already filled as you can see, they're in the folder and all you have to do is go to the orphanage to pick up your son when you show them those" Sarutobi said.

Naruto looked at him in a daze "What was the mother's name?"

The others raised a brow but one of the ANBU answered "Tara Hisugaya. She wanted the kid to have the father's last name though…"

Naruto nodded he knew because he had read up on his father. His grandfather had died a week after meeting his grandmother and their one night stand so he didn't have to worry about him coming back. But then, shouldn't they all know this? Shouldn't this all be on record? Or had they made an honest mistake?

Mistake or not, it looked like he had found a way to stay in the village without his motives being questioned. It wasn't like he really could travel.

"Okay… it's a lot to take in but….I want to be there for him….and he probably has friends here and he's probably happy here so…I choose to stay and raise Minato in the Leaf village. That is, if you let me of course." He answered with clear uncertainty.

Sarutobi nodded with a satisfied smile and said warmly, meant to reassure him "Yes you are welcome and I can see you're going to be a great father by the way you thought of the boy's happiness instead of yours."

Naruto blushed at that then his face went pale.

"I'm a father." He said letting that sink in. "I'm a father . . . Damn me and my rash decisions. Kurama is going to be laughing his head off at this. I can hear it already. Oh wait, that's because he is laughing. Damn it! But that's okay I can handle this, I can take it like a true man."

Naruto fainted.

One of the Medics cracked up "Yes a real man faints. True story I've seen it happen when the Father sees the baby for the first time! Ha ha ha!"

The others just grinned.

"When he wakes tell him to come to my tower for his new home and for him to pick up his son." the Hokage said before leaving the room.

The Medics nodded and went to work on the mumbling man who kept saying "Father…I'm a father" in his sleep.

The village just got a lot more interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Hoped you liked the last chapter! Though many said it was a little fast pace so I'm sorry…but Im going to keep going anyway. Thanks for the reviews!**

"talking"

'thinking'

**"****Kurama talking"**

_'__others thinking'_

**Here's chapter 2!**

Chapter 2

Kurama let go of the breath he been holding since the Hokage first showed up. He couldn't believe the humans thought his kit to be his father's own father.

Sighing he called Naruto to him. The young man had fainted when he realized that he just agreed to be someone's father. Now he probably knew that he couldn't get out of this no matter what Naruto told others.

So Kurama had to make sure Naruto understood what had happen to them before the Hokage question them again. And the Hokage would the man didn't gain the nickname "God of Shonbi" for nothing.

He was trying to make Kit feel welcome thus his guard would be down so when a Yamanaka came through Naruto's mind it would ten times easier to read his memories.

The plan would have work too, no one would had notice it since it was very well plan out though he hadn't expected a tails beast to catch on.

It didn't help that Kit already trusted Sarutobi with his life.

Sighing he sat down and began working on the defenses of Kit's mind. He was going to give that Yamanaka a headache when she or he tried to pry into Kurama's _home_!

The defenses were simple but so obvious it look like it was just part of the mind. First he would change the memories by simply removing any sign with the Leaf village on it.

Making Naruto grow up in a village as the fool and prankster of an un-named village. Then he would change the hair color or body type of everyone Kit's ever meet. That way no one could match it to someone in the village.

Lastly he extended the length on the training trip that Kit went on with Jiraiya so they believed his traveling.

Course he added the memories after the Fourth Shonbi war so that they would find it true about Naruto not returning to the village for six years.

The hardest part though was changing Kit's first time with the image of his grandmother.

It was bad enough having to watch it so that it could be fixed but having to _edit_ it was the worst thing Kurama had ever had to live through. And he's lived through many _many_ years.

He was final finished the worst torture of his life when Naruto show himself .

"Kurama! What the hell is going on!" Naruto yelled as he came running down the sewers.

Though he gain no answer since the all mighty nine tails fox, destroyer of mountains, heartless killer and of course king of demons – was curled up in a ball mumbling to himself.

**"****That image will haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life…..." ** Kurama kept saying over and over again completely ignoring Naruto's call of his name deciding it be best to cope with the new trauma now then wait later on.

Even if he had to ignore for twenty minutes.

"um Kurama. Kurama. KURAMA!" Naruto yelled finally losing his patience. Seriously what was wrong with the demon anyway? It's not like he had to raise his own father.

**"****WHAT IN KAMI'S HEAVEN DO YOU WANT!? I'M TRYING TO FIND MY HAPPY PLACE! SHOW SOME UNDERSTANMENT!" **Yelled back Kurama as he snapped.

" look I know you have some issues right now but as you can see I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Naruto yelled as he was wondering why the nine tails looked like he just saw the grim reaper telling him he lost his immortally.

Kurama took some deep breaths before shoving _those_ images into the back of his mind before opening his mouth.

**"****All right kit. Listen when you used your new justu it mixed with the tails beasts chakra unleashed a sort of black hole that would have killed you if my siblings had not sacrificed their lives to keep you alive and rip you out of the hole, though they could not place us back to the right place." **

He pause to let that sink in.

**"****Now think of the hole turn into a tornado and it flung you somewhere that was far from your home. I came along as a piece of a house sort to say. Completely unplanned as I had given up my chakra too. The only thing you should know is that we time traveled by having the eight tail beasts use their chakra to clout you with a protection robe that barley keep you alive. If I had not absorbed my siblings you would have died." **

Naruto tried to understand it help with the way Kurama put it. This must have been a pain to dumb down for him.

**"****kit you're not dumb. Don't ever think that okay? Now listen we are trapped with no way back to the future and since they believe you to be Minato's father go with it. I mean we know everything since you read those history books and I can bring them up and we can fix the future . besides your friends won't be waiting for you and you've grieved for six years it's time to move on." ** Kurama said after reading his Kit's mind .

Naruto thought over that. Kurama was right. If they couldn't return back to his time and really what would be waiting for him when he got back? Ruins and graves. When here there could be a chance to save everyone and the village themselves.

Everyone would be better off if he stayed here.

"Okay. I get. Don't get my hopes up on going home. Take the role of my grandpa. That's it isn't it?" Naruto asked realizing what the Kyuubi was trying to tell him sugar coated as it was.

**"****Yes that's it. See your not dumb you just need help." **Kurama said trying to lighten the mood as he sensed Kit's deep misery.

After all to Naruto his friends were everything even if all he had left was the graves of them and to not be able to go back to those cut deep in Naruto's heart.

But that had been Naruto's biggest weakness as well. All of their deaths had done nothing but make Kit a person who could not live without his friends.

Meaning Naruto would not be able to live as Naruto Namikaze if he didn't let go of them.

When Naruto didn't say anything Kurama knew it would be best to leave him alone with his thoughts for a while.

Deciding that he would complete the defenses he moved into the darkest parts of the mind sewers to finish what he started.

A hour later he came back to find naruto sitting in the middle of a grassy hill. The mind scape was ones reflection of life and it seemed Naruto was finally accepting the way he had lived.

As Kurama watched his host take deep breaths he knew Naruto let go of all the pain and loneliness, not to mention the guilt he had from his childhood and knew that Naruto decided to fix himself for the benefit of his soon to be son.

The kyuubi felt pride shell his chest. Naruto would make a great father he just knew it.

"Kurama….I'm moving on. I have to. If not for me then for Minato at least. I'm he's only chance of a family and I will not be one of those adults that is stuck in the past." Naruto said after a while watching as the sewers turn into bright fields of grass and a ocean blue sky with small clouds.

**"****good. That's great Kit. Remember you lived that life now you have another. But you are never alone, I'm here" ** kurama said.

Naruto turned a soft smile turns the demon "Like you always have. Thank you."

**"****You're welcome. Now get out of here and live. See you when you need me brat!"**

And without warning Naruto was launched out of his mind.

Aqua blue eyes snapped open as Naruto rejoin the real world.

Looking around he noticed how all the machines that had been here were removed and he was in a recovery room.

Shrugging he began to get up when he notice the restrain seals on his body. Of course the seals where not in plain sight but for a seals master like him he could feel the seal trying in vain to suck up his chakra.

Thinking about it he knew this was a seal that only a seal master and the one to place would be the only ones to know it was even there. Truthfully if he hadn't token up seals he would have never even feel it.

Seems that the Third hadn't completely trust him after all. Makes sense now on why Kurama was messing with his mind though.

Sighing he pressed the button for assistance so a nurse would be so kind to return his clothes and he could escape from the hospital.

He only waited a moment when a young nurse who seemed about his age came rushing in. she stopped at the door with a small blush which confused Naruto.

Was she sick? She seems like it as she seemed to be fighting off a faint. Maybe she related to Hinata.

After a while of her just staring at him he cleared his throat to catch her attention

"Hello. I'm apology for being a bother but would you please allow me to leave? I'm perfectly fine as you can see" Naruto said in the most polite manner passable

"yes, you are fine aren't you" She said with a sudden big smile. Seemed all the signs of fainting where gone.

Nodding with a satisfied grin Naruto stood up "Thanks. So I take it I you know where my clothes are? I wish to leave as soon as possible."

The nurse blinked "you mean "fine" as how you feel?"

At that Naruto gave her a confused expression "what else would I mean? You are a nurse right?"

The nurse's blush came at full force and she seemed shamed of all things. Maybe she was sick.

"I-I sorry! Yes I'm a nurse, um I'm Akane Zamkex " she said bowing

Taking her sudden change of behavior he nodded. She must be new and was nervous! That had to be it!

"it's all right! Don't worry you doing great on your job so I can leave right? Oh and my name is Naruto Namikaze nice to meet you." He said bowing before walking over to Akane with a grin.

"Well yes, they said as soon as you woke up you may leave and um your clothes were beyond recover so we have some civilian clothes ready." She said handling him some clothes that were neatly folded

Grinning his thanks he took them turning to the small bathroom in the room to change. When he came back gone was the hospital gown and now he had a loose light blue shirt with dark black pants that fit perfectly with him

Akane almost had a heart attack when she saw him. Kami have mercy the man was handsome. Hot. Cute. _And_ sexy all rolled into one.

"Thanks Akane I'll be seeing you." Naruto said as he jumped out the window.

Akane was still trying to figure out why Kami would bless them with a man like that when she realized -

"oi! Come back here you haven't got your check up! Don't jump out windows you just got released from the hospital!" she screamed as she ran to the window only to see Naruto jump over roof tops towards the Hokage tower.

"NEVER! I WILL NEVER RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL!" Could be heard thought the village.

Sarutobi head jumped up as when there was a knocked on his door. He, like everyone in the village, had heard Naruto being released from the village. Plus the seals told him where the man was at all times.

Happy to have a distraction from the paper work he made a sign to let his Ambu guards know that the man was allowed to talk to him.

Soon the new arrival made his way in front of his desk with a friendly smile. The young man is a not too bright to think that Sarutobi would trust him. The fool would never even feel the seals placed on his body.

Though he had to play along until the spy in front of him slipped that would be when he would strike. .

"Hello Namikaze-san-" he began

"Please Naruto is fine jiji" the fool interrupted

Sarutobi nodded with a fake smile " jiji? Very well Naruto, I assume you like to know where your son is."

Naruto smiled with such genuine glee that he almost bought it. Almost.

"Yes jiji. I would like to know where he is."

And with that Sarutobi closed the top on the trap he sit, ignoring the small guilt of using a six year old hope for a family while he was at it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I hope you like the last chapter!**

**though someone said they were confused with the last chapter ending…**

**So here is what I meant by it**

**The Hokage is going to try to get Naruto to confess of being a spy by making Naruto think he's welcome because of his so call son. He plans on watching Naruto till he slips and the "real" reason behind his goal to be at the village is. Of course it is war time so it would make sense he has suspicions!**

**Hope that clears up any confusion ****J****so here is chapter 3! THANK YOU Solara Myles FOR THE HELP! :) YOU'RE A GREAT BETA READER! **

talking"

' Naruto thinking/ talking to Kurama'

**"****Kurama talking"**

_'__others thinking'_

Chapter 3

Minato let out a sigh as he glanced up at the sky. He was late.

Picking up all of the training tools the academy gave him, he carefully placed them in his bag not too much in a hurry to return to the orphanage.

He was late so that would mean no food and bed early.

Kami how he hated the Runner of the orphanage.

She was always mean and mostly spent the money the village gave for funds on herself. She didn't give the kids a feeling of belong and he knew most of the children were suicidal.

Seeing as he was only six and knew the world _suicidal_ could be a great show of how bad things were there.

Beside as they say children learn best in watching. So many children had already taken their lives to run from the pain of being alone and with the war going on, that had been the way he learned the word.

His roommate had been the most recent and Minato had been the one to find him, luckily just in time to get him to the hospital.

'_Bishino….I'll change it. I swear I will. When I become Hokage I'll fix that place. And I'll gain strength so no child will ever have to feel pain again not while I'm here!' _

He thought for a millionth time re-making the promise to his now hospitalize best friend whom he had not seen since the incident.

Sighing he continued his journey on the deserted path 'home' entering the forest surrounding the village.

The orphanage was quite far from the main part of the village, and he believed one of the main reasons of why the Runner had the things the way she did.

Because of war time no one wanted to adopt any of the children for the times were hard enough and having an extra mouth to feed would make it worse.

Seeing as no one had time to visit the orphanage it remained the way it did under the cruel watch of the Runner. In fact the last time an adult visited the orphanage was two years ago when he was four.

The war was rumored to be coming to a close though so perhaps things would change after someone cared to notice.

He walked until he could see a parting in the field as a rundown building with about a hundred rooms came into view. There was holes covering the building, windows missing, mold growing on the side of building and weeds covering the front of the field.

Minato stopped to stare at the house he had lived in all his life. It was just that – a house. Never had it been a _home_, not when he was younger, not now and he believed it will never be one in the future.

The place seemed deserted, as the children were probably all inside eating their dinners. So when he walked to the door he felt a stranger sense of change.

. . . Almost as if he could feel some sort of light in this place pulling him indoors.

Not one to doubt his instincts, a lesson he had learned at a young age, he followed them in doors with a strange feeling of wishful hope. Something had change. He could just _feel_ it.

The way the air smelled for example, didn't have that horrible perfume the Runner seem to love, the door didn't creek when he swung it open and last but not least the main desk was completely empty.

But who would be foolish enough to touch the Runner's things? She would never allow people near it, in fact she even spanked those who did. So why had it changed?

Now Minato had what adults called "Forced-to-grow-beyond-his-years" intelligence. He was smart, he knew that. He had always been the kind to like to solve things.

Pick it apart. Figure it out.

Those were some of his favorite words.

He learn things easily and had fun doing them. He may have been young but he showed the intellect of someone far older, though not completely awe-striking, it was still impressive for a six year old.

Holding his bag closer to him, he made sure that no other saw him as he made his way to his room, hoping not to run into anyone lest he get a good hour of yelling.

His room being 301 it was on the top floor meant he had to pass by many rooms, however he noticed something else.

The room doors were wide open and there was nothing inside of each but a small bed. This wasn't too dramatic since not many orphans had things to decorate with; _something _usuallyhad to be there to show people were living here.

It was their way of showing individuality.

Walking faster he soon began to notice that all the rooms were like this. Feeling dread he dropped his bag, turning to the cafeteria and ran. There had to be someone here right? Surely there had to be.

They were just eating dinner and that was why no one was in the rooms or halls. But even as he said this to himself he knew what would wait for him on the other side of the molded door.

Pushing the heavy door open, he stared at empty rows of tables. No one was here. He was alone.

Blinking he stood there for a few minutes before turning and deciding that he should pack his things and find a motel somewhere before night fell.

He couldn't dwell on these events right now. Things he had learn in the Academy were beginning to kick in, his sharp intellect taking over.

No better to find an apartment he thought it would be cheaper and somewhere that belong to him and _only_ him. The thought should have thrilled him but only made him feel miserably alone.

He found his bag just where he had left it, on the floor, discarded in an almost pathetic fashion. He picked it up without much feeling.

Walking to the stairs he listened to his footsteps as they fell on cold concrete the only sound to be heard in the whole orphanage.

_'__Funny_' he thought with a bittersweet smile_ 'This place always reminded me of a abounded hospital with the way it was so quiet and the rooms being so close to one another, but now it just feels like a morgue.'_

When he made it to the third floor he was already planning on the things he would take and the money he keep from the ground that he sometimes found.

It was more than most the orphans had but it could not buy him a place to sleep.

Trying to think of a solution he tried his best not to think of how quite, dark and _lonely_ the place felt as he neared his door his eyes on his feet the whole way.

Suddenly Minato heard a sound up ahead. Turning his head so fast it snapped he searched for the source only to see a small light coming from the bottom of a room. Room 301.

First he felt relief . . . then horror. Could the other kids think it be best to steal what little he had in order to survive?

No, they will not succeed!

Most of the things he owed were in his academy bag which was safely on his shoulder and then he thought about the little things that Bishino owned.

Were they stealing what was a hospitalize boy's things? Not while he still lived and breathed that was for sure.

Steeling himself for the upcoming fight he walked to the door and kicked it open. Best to put an intimating image he thought.

What he didn't expect was Bishino letting out a scream and falling on his ass when the door hit the wall. Minato's eyes widen as ran over to his best friend apologizing along the way.

"Sorry! Sorry! Oh Kami I'm sorry! Bishino are you all right!? Please be alright!" he screamed in frantic concern as he helped him up.

"It's okay man…just don't do that again." Bishino said with a wide grin as he got up. Minato's best and only friend was tall and with black hair. The hair spiking in all different directions

In the original time line this was the boy standing in front of him when he first meet his future wife as she spun the bullies around like rag dolls.

The one who would have laughed alongside him then shut up as she yelled at them both questioningly as to what they were looking at.

The grin made Minato freeze. How long had it been since he seen Bishino smile? In fact he honestly couldn't remember it happening in the last few months leading up to his all-but-blood brother attempt at suicide.

Things were stating to become a puzzle to him. And he loved puzzles he just need the pieces.

"What's going on? Where is everyone? And why are you here?" Minato asked as he helped Bishino onto the bed, making sure he was gentle as possible.

Bishino was very quiet as he watched his friend. He looked to the side, at their room and then he grinned again.

"Well I guess the others are in their new house getting the best rooms." He answered after a while.

'_New house?' _ Thought Minato '_does that mean someone told on that no good Runnner'? _ Before he could ask however Bishino suddenly swung a bag on his shoulder with the most joyful look that Minato had ever seen in his young six years of life.

"I'm here getting packed so when dad gets here we can go straight home!" Bishino said

That made Minato freeze. From the look of it, it seemed his friend was adopted. He should be happy but the truth was he wasn't.

He was jealous and sadden that Bishino found a home and family while he stayed there watching from the side lines, wishing for the happiness the families seem to have, and now he wouldn't have a best friend to talk about those wishes with anymore.

Worse still, he didn't even know where the new house was.

Still he had to pretend at least, pretend for his best friend, because despite his sadness, he was actually really glad for Bishino.

Minato wasn't going to ruin this for his friend. No he was going to swish this green monster away to deal with later.

Putting on one the his best smiles he began helping tp place the folded clothes in the bag Bishino had on the bed

"Really? That's great! So have you met your new dad yet? Is he cool?" he asked with as much fake joy as he could. Luckily he's friend only saw the joy.

"Yeah! I meet him at the road to the orphanage! See I was released and I was walking home and out of nowhere he picks me up. I was like "What the heck!" and he was like "You seem like you were ready to fall over for the last ten miles kid. I'll carry you to your home just tell me where you live" and then I was like "Um I live at the orphanage mister…it pretty far" see cause I thought he would take me half way but he just grinned and nodded, then _whoosh _he jumped really _really_ high got here in like two jumps! Then he told me he was here for his son–"

Bishino said all this in one breath which shocked Minato. He's friend was vibrating with glee and joy, a genuine happiness shining in his eyes.

Good thing that he was used to fast talkers otherwise he would have never been able to figure out what his friend was saying.

Suddenly he heard a chuckle from the door followed by a deep loving voice "Maybe you should let me tell him who my son is Bishino"

"Okay dad!" came the voice with awe and respect of the newly adopted son but he didn't feel much as he stared numbly at the man who looked just like him, staring so warmly back at him.

The same shade of blue that he knew he sported flashed with regret, pain, strength, but most of all love.

The kind of love that he had seen in the eyes of a parent as they gazed at their children, one he'd seen but never been the one to receive , now though he had and he never felt more cherished before nor safe. Who was this man?

"Hello Minato my name is Naruto Namikaze and I am your father, I've come to take you–" his eyes slide to Bishino "and your brother home. You probably have a lot of questions and I'll answer them but I thought it was maybe better to get dinner first. I don't know about you but I'm starving."

With that Minato lost his balance and sat on the bed in shock. He was only able to say one barely audible thing "W-what?"


End file.
